Knowledge management issues in knowledge‐intensive SMEs

TLDR: Evidence is provided that, while SMEs, including knowledge intensive ones, acknowledge that adequately capturing, storing, sharing and disseminating knowledge can lead to greater innovation and productivity, their managers are not prepared to invest the relatively high effort on long term knowledge management goals.

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present a study of knowledge management understanding and usage in small and medium knowledge‐intensive enterprises.Design/methodology/approach – The study has taken an interpretitivist approach, using two knowledge‐intensive South Yorkshire (England) companies as case studies, both of which are characterised by the need to process and use knowledge on a daily basis in order to remain competitive. The case studies were analysed using qualitative research methodology, composed of interviews and concept mapping, thus deriving a characterisation of understandings, perceptions and requirements of SMEs in relation to knowledge management.Findings – The study provides evidence that, while SMEs, including knowledge intensive ones, acknowledge that adequately capturing, storing, sharing and disseminating knowledge can lead to greater innovation and productivity, their managers are not prepared to invest the relatively high effort on long term knowledge management goals fo...

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Figure 1. The knowledge intensive KM (KIKoM) model

Frequently asked questions

Q1. What are the contributions mentioned in the paper "Knowledge management issues in knowledge-intensive smes" ?

The purpose of this paper is to present a study of knowledge management understanding and usage in small and medium knowledge-intensive enterprises. The study has taken an interpretitivist approach, using two knowledge-intensive South Yorkshire ( England ) companies as case studies, both of which are characterised by the need to process and use knowledge on a daily basis in order to remain competitive. The study provides evidence that, while SMEs, including knowledge intensive ones, acknowledge that adequately capturing, storing, sharing and disseminating knowledge can lead to greater innovation and productivity, their managers are not prepared to invest the relatively high effort on long term knowledge management goals for which they have difficulty in establishing the added value. This paper proposes that further studies in this field are required that focus on organisational and practical issues in order to close the gap between theoretical propositions and the reality of practice. The study suggests that in order to implement an appropriate knowledge management strategy in SMEs cultural, behavioural, and organisational issues need to be tackled before even considering technical issues. This paper debates these concepts from a research findings point of view. 

Q2. What are the future works mentioned in the paper "Knowledge management issues in knowledge-intensive smes" ?

Further studies in this field should focus on the former issues in order to close the gap between theoretical propositions and the reality of practice. 

Q3. Why did Prichard et al. (2000) argue that KM has grown?

In relation to KM, Prichard et al. (2000) argue that in addition to interest and dissemination undertaken by the consultancy companies, KM has grown because of the emergence and reproduction of research from established academic institutions which gave the concept important credibility. 

Q4. What are the main reasons for the reduction in the staff force?

In addition to the reduction in the staff force, mergers and acquisitions where forcing employers to realise that the knowledge gained and developed over the years with their long-term employees was being lost through early retirements and redundancies. 

Q5. What is the common characterization of knowledge?

the more common characterization of knowledge is tacit knowledge, explicit knowledge and implicit knowledge (Srikantaiah and Koenig, 2000, p. 223; Nonaka, 1994; Nonaka and Konno, 1998; Cavusgil et al., 2003). 

Q6. What was the main reason for the potential loss of key personnel?

the potential loss of key personnel lead to the fear that the organisation could lose their competitive edge, which was dependent on the knowledge acquired and developed by these employees. 

Q7. What is the main reason why SMEs are not convinced of the benefits of KM?

It is widely acknowledged in the academic milieu that all organisations, both large and small, require efficient KM in order to maximise their competitiveness and survival chances in the modern information society. 

Q8. What is the main reason for adopting an interpretivist approach to the study?

Therefore interpretive research can demystify the phenomena being studied, leading the way for positivist research to be conducted more perceptively. 

Q9. What are the main issues that need to be addressed before even considering technical issues?

In order to implement an appropriate knowledge management strategy in SMEs, cultural, behavioural, and organisational issues need to be tackled before even considering technical issues. 

Q10. What was the main motivation for adopting an interpretivist approach to this study?

in the case of this research such an interpretivist approach was needed in order to enable the understanding of the social world of the SMEs being studied, as well as the acquisition of an understanding of the subjective experiences of individuals in the organisations, including the individuals’ consciousness and subjective perceptions as proposed by Mason (1997, p. 4). 

Q11. What are the main reasons for the difficulty in capturing tacit knowledge?

On the one hand, processes and tasks that try to translate tacit knowledge into explicit embodiment need to be clear, reasonable and realistic as well as accepted by the employees. 

Q12. What is the main reason for the lack of formal approach to KM?

this informality within SMEs and on projects can also be viewed as a strong motivation for adoption of KM, since it will affect dissemination and transfer of experiences and relevant knowledge to future projects and organisational development (Egbu et al., 2004). 

Q13. What are the main concepts that are linked to the organisational implementations?

Irradiating from the centre are the seven main concepts, which then are characterised by their main elements, which in turn are linked to actual organisational implementations.